NIFA Update--June 17, 2026

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Maggie Lawrence, Editor

June 17, 2026

Secretary Rollins Announces Historic $125M Annual Investment in Agricultural Research Infrastructure Across America

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins and U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon hosted several Land-grant University leaders at USDA for a roundtable discussion and announced the opening of the FY 2026 funding opportunity for the Research Facilities Act Program. President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cuts provided $125 million annually for the Research Facilities Act Program and this historic investment will help address decades of deferred maintenance and accelerate modernization of agricultural research facilities across the country.

AFRI Invasive Pest and Disease Program Accepting Applications

Invasive pests, including insects and weeds, and diseases pose very real threats to the nation’s agricultural security. To address this critical issue, USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture continuously accepts applications for its Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Rapid Response to Emerging and Re-emerging Pest and Disease Events Across Food and Agricultural Systems. Learn more about the program here.

AgrAbility National Training Webinars 2026

National AgrAbility will host four webinars that could not be given at the 2026 in-person National Training Workshop.

Each webinar begins at 3 p.m. EDT. For session descriptions and more information, visit https://www.agrability.org/ntw-encore/. To participate, follow the links below to register.

• June 30: The Motherhouse Project: A Beekeeper Client Success Story

• July 7: Mental Health and Agriculture: The OT Perspective and Practice
• July 14: Cultivating Resilience:  How Missouri AgrAbility and 4-H Promote Farm Safety and Mental Wellbeing for All Youth
• July 28: Communicating Economic Impacts of AgrAbility to Stakeholders

A question-and-answer period is scheduled for each presentation.

Information about the following program area priorities—including program contacts, types of projects allowed and more—can be found in the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) - Education and Workforce Development NOFO.

• Education and Workforce Development Workshop Grants (A7001): Continuous throughout the year but at least 210 days before the start of the workshop and upon invitation after submission of a Letter of Intent at least 255 days before the workshop begins.

Continuously Accepted

• Rapid Response to Emerging and Re-emerging Pest and Disease Events Across Food and Agricultural Systems
• Rapid Response to Weather Events Across Food and Agricultural Systems

• AgrAbility - Assistive Technology Program for Farmers with Disabilities—June 23
• Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Grants Program—June 23
• Supplemental and Alternative Crops—June 25
• Equipment Grants Program—June 25  
• Open Data Framework—June 26
• Methyl Bromide Transition Program—June 29
• Agricultural Genome to Phenome Initiative—June 29
• Integrated Research, Education, and Extension Competitive Grants Program – Organic Transitions—July 13
• Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program—July 16
• Research Facilities Act Program—July 17
• Farm Business Management and Benchmarking (FBMB) Program—July 20
• Urban, Indoor, and Emerging Agriculture—July 27
• Tribal Colleges Extension Program - Capacity— Aug. 14
• Tribal Colleges Research Grants Program, Phase II— Sept. 11
• Tribal Colleges Research Grants Program, Phase III— Dec. 31

Research Facilities Act Program (RFAP) NOFO-Technical Assistance Webinar—June 23

USDA to Gather Agricultural Conservation Data to Assess Trends and Improve Programs and Services

USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will be reaching out to farmers, ranchers, and agricultural landowners starting in June to gather in-depth information about their conservation practices – essential information to inform U.S. agricultural policies and programs. This is part of the Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) survey, in partnership with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS),

Findings from this survey are used to guide conservation program development and support agricultural producers and partners in making informed management decisions backed by data and science. Read more about the survey here.

More News From USDA

• USDA Issues Directive to Restore Grazing on National Forest Lands and Strengthen Support for America’s Ranchers
• Secretary Rollins Welcomes President Trump’s Appointment of John Rich as Special Envoy for American Landowners
• Trump Administration Announces Texas Cattleman and Food Safety Entrepreneur, John Bellinger, as Senior Advisor New World Screwworm Preparedness

Updated Research Security Terms for USDA General Terms and Conditions

USDA issued an optional deviation to the USDA General Terms and Conditions (GT&Cs) for Federal Awards effective June 3. The deviation incorporates updates to terms relating to research security; foreign ownership, control, and influence; malign foreign talent recruitment programs; and related definitions. This deviation incorporates feedback from stakeholders regarding the language for such terms in the USDA GT&Cs effective December 31, 2025.

• Morning AgClips: UTIA Faculty to Help Expand Virtual Reality Resources in Classrooms
• Blood Horse: UK Equine Secures USDA Funding for Horse Health Studies
• Farms.com: Crop Protection and Pest Management and CA Strawberry Commission

USDA NIFA invests in research, education, and outreach that keeps American agriculture productive, profitable, and at the forefront of innovation. Through partnerships with the Land-grant University System, NIFA leverages more than 10,000 scientists, educators, and Extension professionals to turn discovery into real-world solutions for farmers, ranchers, families, and communities.

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is committed to ensuring that its programs and services are accessible to all individuals, including individuals with disabilities and individuals with limited English proficiency. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in any NIFA event, please contact the appropriate Program staff no later than 10 days prior to the event. To find Program staff by event, please visit the NIFA Calendar of Events. NIFA  Language access services, such as interpretation or translation of vital information, will be provided free of charge to limited English proficient individuals upon request.

If you need interpretation or translation services, please contact sm.nifa.eeo@usda.gov no later than 10 days prior to the event.

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